School officials urge students not to panic about spreading virus
Hiroko Furuhashi
Issue date: 5/6/09 Section: News
As the cases of swine flu continue to increase, mostly in Mexico, Lindenwood University has established a new committee to deal with any outbreak on campus.
University officials stress, however, that no cases have been detected and students shouldn't panic.
The virus is being transmitted through human contact. "That is why it is important to wash your hands frequently with soap and water," said Paige Mettler-Cherry, an assistant professor of biology at Lindenwood.
The newly established Lindenwood Pandemic Committee is also encouraging students to wash their hands frequently, Dean of Students Terry Russell said.
In preparing for a possible outbreak of the virus, also known as H1N1, the committee is working with the City of St. Charles and area hospitals.
Mettler-Cherry predicts that Missouri will end up having cases. "Hopefully, for Lindenwood, we can get through finals before we see any cases on campus," she said.
Last Thursday the committee distributed posters with information about the virus to dorms and campus buildings. "Our primary goal is sending out accurate and necessary information to the students," Russell said.
Meanwhile, last week the World Health Organization (WHO) raised its global influenza pandemic alert level from phase 4 to phase 5, indicating a pandemic could be imminent. As of Friday, the WHO reported 109 confirmed cases, with one death, in the United States.
"The general risk of swine flu is that it is an entirely new strain," and so the human immune system doesn't have a history of fighting the virus, Mettler-Cherry said.
Still, she said, "the cases here in the U.S. are actually fairly mild."
While the Associated Press has reported the number of cases in Mexico reached 2,498 last week, with 159 deaths, the WHO reported 26 confirmed infections in the country, with seven deaths.
Lindenwood has four international students from Mexico, according to the International Student Center.
University officials stress, however, that no cases have been detected and students shouldn't panic.
The virus is being transmitted through human contact. "That is why it is important to wash your hands frequently with soap and water," said Paige Mettler-Cherry, an assistant professor of biology at Lindenwood.
The newly established Lindenwood Pandemic Committee is also encouraging students to wash their hands frequently, Dean of Students Terry Russell said.
In preparing for a possible outbreak of the virus, also known as H1N1, the committee is working with the City of St. Charles and area hospitals.
Mettler-Cherry predicts that Missouri will end up having cases. "Hopefully, for Lindenwood, we can get through finals before we see any cases on campus," she said.
Last Thursday the committee distributed posters with information about the virus to dorms and campus buildings. "Our primary goal is sending out accurate and necessary information to the students," Russell said.
Meanwhile, last week the World Health Organization (WHO) raised its global influenza pandemic alert level from phase 4 to phase 5, indicating a pandemic could be imminent. As of Friday, the WHO reported 109 confirmed cases, with one death, in the United States.
"The general risk of swine flu is that it is an entirely new strain," and so the human immune system doesn't have a history of fighting the virus, Mettler-Cherry said.
Still, she said, "the cases here in the U.S. are actually fairly mild."
While the Associated Press has reported the number of cases in Mexico reached 2,498 last week, with 159 deaths, the WHO reported 26 confirmed infections in the country, with seven deaths.
Lindenwood has four international students from Mexico, according to the International Student Center.
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